(Minghui.org) Falun Gong was first taught to the public in 1992. Nearly 100 million people across China were soon practicing Falun Gong after experiencing improvements in their health and character. Jiang Zemin, the former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline's growing popularity as a threat to the CCP's atheistic ideology and issued an order to ban Falun Gong on July 20, 1999.

Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners due to the persecution over the past 22 years. The actual number is suspected to be much higher. More have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith. 

There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply the organ transplant industry.

Falun Gong practitioners across the world hold rallies, parades, and awareness-raising events to condemn the CCP’s 22-year-long persecution. They also hold candlelight vigils to commemorate the fellow practitioners who died due to the persecution. The following are events that were held in Portugal and Spain.

Raising Awareness in Lisbon, Portugal 

Falun Gong practitioners clarified the truth in downtown Lisbon on July 20, 2021. Many people supported the effort and signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution. There were many tourists, who paused to watch. Some stepped forward to sign the petition after reading the display boards exposing the CCP’s organ harvesting. 　

Raising awareness in downtown Lisbon

People sign the petition calling for an end to the persecution. 

A practitioner talks with two police officers about Falun Gong and the persecution.

During the event, a tourist, holding onto a trolley suitcase, approached the exhibition table and signed the petition. He said that he has known about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong for many years. He said that he was very happy to meet Falun Gong practitioners in Lisbon, and appreciates the opportunity to sign the petition. 

“I really admire the persistence of Falun Gong practitioners during all these years,” he said. “I hope that your activity will achieve the best results.”

After reading the flier carefully, a young man from Iraq expressed sympathy for Falun Gong practitioners. He was shocked to hear about the CCP’s organ harvesting issue. He hoped that the persecution ends as soon as possible.

Some practitioners held a candlelight vigil near the Chinese Embassy to commemorate the practitioners who were tortured due to the CCP’s persecution. 

Practitioners hold commemoration activities near the Chinese Embassy. 

Practitioner Guo said, “Looking at the shinning candlelight, I remember fellow practitioners who clarified the truth with me in China. They were tortured to death by the CCP: Sun Min and Xiaoying are relatives. Sun Min and I only met once. She was detained and tortured to death within a short time. Her husband was sentenced to seven years in prison, leaving a 10-year-old child unattended.”

He remembered that “Xiaoying is a young practitioner that we took care of for a short time. Her two uncles and aunt passed away one after another due to the persecution. Her mother was detained, and Xiaoying was left alone. I remember what Xiaoying said back then: ‘I miss my mother very much. I wish the persecution of good people would soon end. I am afraid that my mother might be killed by the [perpetrators] like my aunt and two uncles.’”

Guo said that he remembers these fellow practitioners who were tortured and killed by the CCP which makes him sad and indignant. They just wanted to be good people who followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

Rally in Spain

Practitioners held a series of events to protest the persecution on July 20 and called on people to help stop it. 

Rally in Front of the Chinese Embassy

On the street opposite to the Chinese Embassy, practitioners hung up truth-clarification banners and display panels on July 20. Drivers in passing vehicles slowed down and looked at the banners. The practitioners handed informational brochures to the drivers when cars stopped for a red light.

Demonstration in front of the Chinese Embassy

Sending righteous thoughts in front of the Chinese Embassy. 

Along with the exercise music, the practitioners demonstrated the five sets of Falun Gong exercises, which attracted many passersby. They watched and were told about the persecution. People who had already heard about the persecution signed the petition calling for its end, and the disintegration of the CCP.

Some people said: “The CCP is too evil.” Some said: “I hope that the CCP will disappear from this earth as soon as possible. Its existence [referring to the CCP] will only bring disaster to the world.” 

Several young people asked for some fliers and said that they would give them to their colleagues and friends, so they could also sign the petition. 

Signature Collection in Downtown

Weekends are the peak days for people to go shopping. Even though the sun was very hot, people were in high spirits. The Plaza Cayol is one of the busiest commercial centers in Madrid. On July 18, Falun Gong practitioners went to Cayol Plaza to hold a signature collection activity.

Signing the petition to end the persecution

Christian, a young man from Argentina, said after talking to a Falun Gong practitioner: “The CCP has always promoted how good it is, and never mentions committing unfavorable things. The CCP’s political system is deceptive. A lot of Argentinians don’t understand this, because today’s media doesn’t report it.”

“Today is the first time I heard about the persecution of Falun Gong in China, and I was shocked.” Before leaving, he signed the petition and asked for some fliers. He said he would read them carefully.

Christian from Argentina 

Aziza is from Morocco. After being told about the persecution, she said: “This is absolutely unfair. The rights of people are different in China. The basic rights in one place become a privilege in another place. Otherwise, I would never have known about this kind of human rights tragedy. I really thank you. Now is the time to be told the truth. All people should have the same rights.”

The Chinese version of the article: Rally in Spain